


nothing's changed

by SalazarTipton



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Canon Disabled Character, Love Confessions, M/M, Scars, Short One Shot, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-10-18 11:53:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17580323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SalazarTipton/pseuds/SalazarTipton
Summary: All those decisions that he made eventually did lead him back home to Roswell...and to this man. Maybe so much has changed that it’s all come full circle.





	nothing's changed

_ “Where I stand nothing’s changed.” _

Those words echo through Alex’s mind as he lays in the small bed with an arm wrapped around Michael’s middle, spooning him as the moon rises and casts light and shadow through the equations and maps taped up to the window. He brushes his lips over the smooth skin of his shoulder and relishes in the warmth radiating off of him. The stubble starting to show on Alex’s cheek scratches lightly against Michael’s back. If Alex’s eighteen-year-old self could see a glimpse into his future and spot this moment, maybe he’d muster up the courage to tell his father to go fuck himself and his unattainable expectations and kiss the Air Force goodbye. 

Thinking back on it, staying in Roswell with Michael could have brought him good. For one thing, he wouldn’t know war and have a deep, personal understanding of what they meant by phantom limb. He doesn’t trust himself to go any farther down the rabbit hole of what ifs and wonder. All those decisions that he made eventually did lead him back home to Roswell...and to this man. 

He shifts against the flat pillow and tightens his grip on Michael’s hips. Maybe so much has changed that it’s all come full circle. The military helped him shed his shyness in exchange for reserved confidence, without which he would never have sought Michael out again. And Michael--well, he can’t speak for his experiences, but from what Alex has witnessed, he’s got a better handle on himself.

Michael presses back against Alex’s chest until they’re flush and drags his hand down from his chest to his hip, following along the length of Alex’s forearm until he reaches his hand. He lets out a contented hum when he comes to enough to make out the smile against his skin. 

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” Michael whispers with his voice tight from grogginess. He wriggles his index, middle, and ring fingers in between Alex’s to loosely hold onto him. “Don’t tell me you’re getting all existential over there.” 

Alex rolls his eyes, but presses a kiss to one of the knobs of Michael’s spine, taking the insecurity out of the air. “Don’t worry. I’ll save all the brooding for you.”

Michael sits up and shifts until he can properly look at him and tries to level Alex with a glare, but the moonlight framing his mussed curls takes all the edge out of it leaving him with a warm knot in his heart. He nudges him. Michael relents and flops back down on the bed on his other side to face Alex. Once situated, he brings their still entwined hands up to his lips.

He watches the movement and takes in how Michael’s features look so much softer here than they do in the baking heat of the sun. His eyes catch on the scars and what’s left of his pinkie. Time’s done damage on them both, he thinks. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” Alex asks him, his words ghosting over the back of Michael’s palm. He notices the sad smile on Michael’s lips more through touch than by sight in the dark room. 

“Just trying not to let myself hope,” he sighs out. “Do you really want to do this right now? Your probably have work in the morning--”

“I’d rather do this now rather than spend all of tomorrow or however long wondering. You said before that--that nothing’s changed for you,” Alex starts. He doesn’t know how to put into words the whirlwind of emotions that have been going through him since seeing Michael again…

“It really hasn’t. I’m in Roswell because Max and Iz need me here and I don’t think that’s gonna change any time soon. Watchin’ you leave--” Michael stops himself, clenching his jaw for a second. He takes in a shaking breath, measured, before continuing on with his thought, “I don’t know if I can do that again.”

Michael bites his lip, but doesn’t fight the moisture collecting at the corner of his eye that drips down onto the bridge of his nose. Alex reaches out with his free hand and smooths away the rogue tear. 

“Good news then because I don’t think I have the strength to walk away like that again.” He blows out a puff of air as he takes in the look of pure hope shimmering in Michael’s eyes. “But...what are we going to tell people?”

“‘Are we?’ Present tense, huh? Well, alright,” Michael says with a warm laugh. “I’ve never been one to shout my business from the rooftops.” 

“And what if I want to?”

“Well, Private, I think I can live with that.”

Alex’s hand escapes from Michael’s grip to shoot down to his side and pinch him lightly in retaliation for the nickname. He jolts away with a shocked laugh bubbling up from his chest. Alex tucks the thought of Michael’s ticklishness away for a later date. There’ still some things that need to be said hanging in the air around them. 

**Author's Note:**

> please let me know what you think! i'd love to hear from you in the comments :D  
> come find me on [tumblr](http://bialiencowboy.tumblr.com/)


End file.
